Cushion Cut Engagement Rings Pros and Cons

The cushion cut is one of the oldest cuts in existence. It’s actually been around since the 1700s, although, that version was called the old mine cut. The rounded “pillow” cut is rectangular with rounded sides and corners. It has a high crown, small table, and flat facet. During the Art Deco period of the 20s and 30s, the geometric shape of the cushion cut was very popular.

Pros for Cushion Cut Engagement Rings

Gaining Popularity

While not as popular as other types of diamond cuts, the cushion diamond is making a comeback. If you’re looking for a diamond ring that’s on trend right now, and will stand the test of time, a cushion cut is the way to go. While some trends will look dated in a few years, the cushion cut will never have that worry. As it’s gaining popularity right now, it will also gain popularity in the future, too.

Vintage is Back

As with fashion, there’s a resurgence of vintage pieces. Celebrities are flocking to cushion cuts as never before. Once a celebrity is seen with a certain type of jewelry, others will want to follow those trends. Whether it’s on the red carpet or in their everyday lives, celebrities like Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Aniston and Anne Hathaway have worn cushion cut diamond rings when out at events.

Lacks Sharp Edges

The pronged edges of a cushion cut will never snag on clothing or bang against objects. It’ll never get caught in a woman’s hair, either. Many rings have to be removed when a woman is washing her hair or styling it. While a diamond is one of the hardest materials on Earth, the prongs can take damage, too, which can cause the setting to loosen. Many people have lost their stones because the sharp edges of the diamond get banged against something, the prong loosens, and the diamond falls.

Disperses Light

The larger facets of a cushion cut disperses light, which creates a beautiful and soft rainbow of colors. This is great for someone who doesn’t want flashy brilliance. It’s a subtler effect, and terrific for a woman who doesn’t necessarily want a huge diamond flashing on their finger everyday. Not all women want big, flashy rings that they consider to be conspicuous.

Great for Colored Diamonds

The large facets of a cushion cut make it a great choice for colored diamonds. The deep, large facets show off the colored hues to great advantage. With a colored diamond, you can get a massive stone that has deep color to it without spending a lot of money compared to other colored stone cuts.

Cons for Cushion Cut Engagement Rings

Large Facets

While cushion cut facets can be an advantage for most diamonds, they can show all the blemishes and inclusions that you normally might not see in other diamond cuts. This is especially true if you’re buying a diamond that is over 1 carat in size. The large diamond and large facets can be detrimental to some diamonds, so you’ll have to be careful about the quality of the diamond you choose.

Needs Clarity and Color Threshold

To keep away from inclusions and blemishes as well as creating the best-looking cushion cut, it’s vital to stay above a certain clarity and color threshold. A GIA clarity of over VS2 or an AGS clarity above 6 is key to getting a great cushion cut diamond. The color grade should be above G for GIA graded diamonds and 0.5 or above for AGS color grading.

Mounted Diamonds

When you’re choosing a diamond already mounted in a ring, you need to ensure that it’s been appraised or comes with a certificate of authentication. This will keep you from purchasing a diamond that might have large blemishes or inclusions, which are even more visible with a cushion cut diamond.

Certain Settings

Some settings are not suitable for cushion cut diamonds. A 4-prong, 6-prong or double claw prong setting is suitable for a cushion cut diamond, but others are not as good. For example, with the bezel setting, metal wraps around the entire stone, reducing the light that enters. Light not reflecting as brightly is already a problem for the cushion cut.

Better for Gemstones

When it comes to cushion cuts, they’re often better for gemstones like sapphires, rubies, aquamarines, and citrine. The facets can really emphasize the color.

As long as you understand the pros and cons of cushion cut diamonds, you can get a great stone that will look fantastic on your finger. Some of the best cushion cut diamonds are surrounded by smaller diamonds in a halo effect that is reminiscent of vintage rings from the 20s, but with an updated style that makes them spectacular. If you want to purchase a colored diamond, you cannot go wrong with a cushion cut, and it’s often the most preferred style of cut for ones with beautiful tint.

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